Fencing: Canadian upsets Italian 'idol' to make history

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A year ago Eleanor Harvey was not sure she would make the Rio Games, but on Wednesday she stunned one of her heroes in Canada's strongest individual fencing performance ever at the Olympics.

Harvey came from behind to beat gold medal favorite Arianna Errigo of Italy, the world's top-ranked women's foil fencer, before falling in the quarter-final.

"She's one of my idols," said Harvey, breathless but upbeat after finishing seventh. "She's one of my favorite fencers to watch. Her fencing is so exciting. She's such a boss."

Watching her role model fence for years did not prepare Harvey to face down the 2012 silver medalist and two-times world champion, whose speed and reach caught the 21-year-old Canadian off guard.